The Bank (Defensive Edition) 1/12

DMoney

Today at 8:30 AM 2 min read

I know everybody is asking about quarterback and the offense, but I'll post that breakown later today when the dust settles a bit. Let's start with our Portal efforts the defensive side of the ball.

- The key name to know on defense is Missouri DE Damon Wilson. The former five star from Venice, Florida is the best defensive player in the Portal, and Miami is zeroing in on him. They are looking for bigger defensive ends to replace Rueben Bain and Akheem Mesidor.

- The Canes are also looking for a young defensive tackle to replace Donta Simpson. One name to keep an eye on: Ohio State transfer Jarquez Carter. He is a former teammate of Miami freshman DT Mykah Newton. The pair is from Newberry, Florida. Ahmad Moten, Justin Scott an Armondo Blount are expected to return and anchor our defense.

- Linebacker received a big boost with the expected return of Mo Toure, who is playing his best football in the playoffs. He continues to get healthier and faster. They are continuing to look for linebackers, but my sense is that they will look to their existing roster for most of the production. Don't sleep on Kamal Bonner, who fell behind due to injury but has been coming on in practice.

- Boston College transfer Omar Thornton is committed and will play both nickel and safety. We are not pursuing Koi Perich and I don't expect further action at safety. We are evaluating corners, as we have four starting caliber veterans and it is unclear how that will play out after the championship.

- I like Miami for Kicker Jack Olsen. He is highly accurate from within 50 yards. I expect Miami to pursue a kickoff and long FG specialist. Keep an eye on FSU kicker Jake Weinberg.

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LuCane

Today at 8:55 AM

JustAFanHTX said:
The role you have for Koi is already manned by a true freshman who will step forward next season,

The problem is folks are thinking Koi is Keionte, and that's just not at all what he can do. There isn't a DB in the portal who can do what #0 can do.

FWIW, Thornton can't, either. But, if he's cheaper and can play some of the Jakobe role, you move pieces around. Fitzgerald is the only option who can cover *some* of the way Keionte can out of the Nickel spot. Of course, he hasn't shown he can fill or blitz the same way, but that goes back to we weren't going to replace someone like #0.

Bender

Today at 8:56 AM

JustAFanHTX said:
That’s not true it’s what you want to believe from fomo. He’s a **** good player but he has shortcomings.

in an unrelated note, how's your foot?

JustAFanHTX

Today at 8:57 AM

LuCane said:
The problem is folks are thinking Koi is Keionte, and that's just not at all what he can do. There isn't a DB in the portal who can do what he can do.

FWIW, Thornton can't, either. But, if he's cheaper and can play some of the Jakobe role, you move pieces around. Fitzgerald is the only option who can cover the way Keionte can. Of course, he hasn't shown he can fill or blitz the same way, but that goes back to we weren't going to replace someone like #0.

Yeah that’s what I mean. We have no one that can replace keionte he may be our best defender period sans bain. Thornton will help what we’re trying to do more. And actually Slime has a lot of traits similar to keionte.

Alex Del Piero

Today at 8:58 AM

Bender said:
and in today's list of things I don't understand

Salary cap maybe?

JustAFanHTX

Today at 8:58 AM

Bender said:
in an unrelated note, how's your foot?

Slight sprain. Not manly enough to complain about. I was hoping for war wounds

OldhamA

Today at 8:59 AM

skyman said:
We lose Keionte and Jakobe, and Thorton gonna play both spots on some 11 on 10 defense type ****.. Umm, Yikes

Thankfully we have several excellent HS recruiting classes to fall back on.

S
skyman

Today at 9:00 AM

LuCane said:
The problem is folks are thinking Koi is Keionte, and that's just not at all what he can do. There isn't a DB in the portal who can do what #0 can do.

FWIW, Thornton can't, either. But, if he's cheaper and can play some of the Jakobe role, you move pieces around. Fitzgerald is the only option who can cover *some* of the way Keionte can out of the Nickel spot. Of course, he hasn't shown he can fill or blitz the same way, but that goes back to we weren't going to replace someone like #0.

Wait so koi cant do what Keionte can, which I agree. But Thorton cant either, but Fitz can. So why cant we bring Koi in and he do what Thomas does and let Fitz do Keionte role?

Koi is wayyy better than Thorton and he has length that we lose..

LuCane

Today at 9:00 AM

JustAFanHTX said:
Yeah that’s what I mean. We have no one that can replace keionte he may be our best defender period sans bain. Thornton will help what we’re trying to do more. And actually Slime has a lot of traits similar to keionte.

I haven't seen him in that role. He looks slim. How is he reading formations and defeating blocks/filling?

Bender

Today at 9:01 AM

JustAFanHTX said:
Slight sprain. Not manly enough to complain about. I was hoping for war wounds

my guy showing up like this to the game:

407cane

Today at 9:01 AM

moten and Toure coming back

I know it was expected but ya never know with this kind of run

LuCane

Today at 9:02 AM

skyman said:
Wait so koi cant do what Keionte can, which I agree. But Thorton cant either, but Fitz can. So why cant we bring Koi in and he do what Thomas does and let Fitz do Keionte role?

Koi is wayyy better than Thorton and he has length that we lose..

Because you consider $ value, too, I think. That would be my guess. Thornton also seems like a fit for the defensive motto of "excitement, swarm, violence."

J
jdg3158

Today at 9:03 AM

@DMoney thanks for the info.

Any other DE’s like the one from UT or maybe a Bama guy?

Also are we gonna try and grab a more senior DT to replace the Blay role?

SWFLSWAGG17

Today at 9:04 AM

Maybe the interest in Koi is not mutual. That could be a reason to not pursue him.

JustAFanHTX

Today at 9:04 AM

LuCane said:
I haven't seen him in that role. He looks slim. How is he reading formations and defeating blocks/filling?

He was pretty good at it in high school. And I know he seems much smaller mostly because he’s a freshman. Slime is probably an inch taller and only about 10 pounds less. He’ll fill out. Now I don’t know that they’ll try him there but I expect him to play a **** ton next season and we have starting corners out wide so idk

LuCane

Today at 9:05 AM

JustAFanHTX said:
He was pretty good at it in high school. And I know he seems much smaller mostly because he’s a freshman. Slime is probably an inch taller and only about 10 pounds less. He’ll fill out. Now I don’t know that they’ll try him there but I expect him to play a **** ton next season and we have starting corners out wide so idk

Getting the vibe one of those corners portals out.

AtlAtty

Today at 9:06 AM

I take all this mean we just have far fewer holes in the roster to fill than in the past because our high school recruiting has been excellent.

S
skyman

Today at 9:07 AM

LuCane said:
Because you consider $ value, too, I think. That would be my guess. Thornton also seems like a fit for the defensive motto of "excitement, swarm, violence."

I thought we had LOOT.. But I cant complain, keeping these rosters together that are double the size of nfl and players wanting more than NFL counterparts unrealistically aint cheap :ibis-roflmao-sm3: